Air current locking device



Dec. 18, 1945. I s E 2,391,107

AIR CURRENT LOCKING DEVICE Filed May 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l l. V///////l/////A 1/1/1111 /1IIIll/I111,Ill/III/I/I Il/IlI/IIl/IA 71/11/11 IMIMIIIII/Ak\\\\\\\ I Dec. 18, 1945. I E, A, STIENEN 2,391,107

I AIR CURRENT LOCKING DEViCE I Filed May 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EHNESTAST/ENfN Patented Dec. 18, 1945 AntoUmiENT LOCKING DEVICE, Ernest AQSt'ienen, Yorktown, Application May 26, 194a-s'er ia1 1vt. 488,540

2 Claims; (01. 21 --63) 'I'his iriventiorrrelates'to anair current lock mg device. g

The'principal object of 'theinventionistq 'prevent accidents to" operators, when a centriiugal extractor to'whichthe invention is attached is operated. j

'Referring'to' the drawings Fig 1 representsa portion of the top of acentrifugalextractoran'd' top viewof the current locking device which is 1 also on the line 2, 2; Fig. 4 indicates an end view of the hinged cover shown in Fig. 3 and in elevated position; Fig. 5 shows an enlarged sectio'n'of Fig. 3 on the line 5, 5, with portions in open position; Fig. 6 indicates a view similar to Fig. 5 and the locking device in closed position and Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, with the position of the members of the locking device when it has been attempted to raise the cover of the extractor.

In the drawings, see Fig. 2, a basket is shown with a portion of its cylindrical wall 2| which has extending therethrough a plurality of small openings 22. The bottom wall of the basket is indicated at 23, which latter has integral therewith the hub 24. The top wall of basket 20 is fastened'to the wall 2|. An inlet opening 26 is shown in the top wall 25. A ring 28 is provided for the upper end of the basket 20 and a ring 29 is provided for the bottom end of the basket. Intermediate strengthening rings 30 are also provided for the basket 20. A tapered shaft 32 is fastened to the hub 24 by means of the nut 33 having the collar 34 integral therewith.

The shaft 32 rotates in roller bearings one of which is shown with the inner ring 35, the outer ring 36 and rollers 31. A

An outer circular casing39 is indicated with the bottom portion 40, which has integral there- 16. The latch depends from a triangular plate 53 extending'froin the peripheral portion of the central cover50' ov'er theouter cover 41. The cover 41 is provided with a plate member 54 fitted 111w an opening 48in the cover 41. The latch 15extends into the casing through an opening 65 in the plate 64 which carries a locking mechanism for the latch as will bepresently described. The plate 64 rests on bars 66 more clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, secured to the under side of the cover 41 as by welding. The plate 64 is removably secured to the bars 66 as by screws 66a. Bearings 61 depend from the plate 64 for a rotary shaft 68 to which a loading member or latch block 10 is secured by a pin 69, and vanes 12 and 13. The vanes and the latch block 10 normally extend vertically downwards with the latch block being parallel to the adjacent side of the ring-shaped latch 15.

The casing 39 is supported in a conventional manner, the supporting members being partly,

shown in Fig. 1 and comprising substantially ribs 55 with cross braces 6| supporting lugs 56, suspended on rods 60 extending from bosses 59 on stands 5! of which there are usually three.

To operate the current locking device, the cover 50 is opened by means of the handle 52, and the saturated material such as yarns, rayons and the with the housing 4|, which enclose the outer drical guiding flange 45 extends from the wall 43 for receiving and guiding the vertical portion 46 of an outer cover 41. This cover is removed only when it is desired to remove the basket 20. For loading and unloading the basket 20, a large central opening 49 is provided in the outer cover 41 and is normally closed by a central cover 50 like is placed in the basket 20. The cover 50 is then closed, and the latch 15 with its member I6 is lowered and positioned as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5. The shaft 32 is now rotated by means not shown by virtue of which .the basket 20 is turned.

The material not shown in the basket 20, by virtue of centrifugal force is pressed against the cylindrical wall 2| The fluid in the material operated upon passes through the small openings 22 and enters the clearance space 62 and is discharged through the opening 44.

During the extraction it is essential for safety Ito the operator that the cover 50 is not opened.

During the rotation of the basket 20, air currents are formed at the outside of the top wall 25, and outside diameter of said basket 20 due to centrifugal action. This produces a blast of considerable intensity above the top wall 25 and in the clearance space 62. This blast contacts with the vanes 12 and 13, see Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and, tilts the latch block 10 to enter the ring-shaped latch handles 52. To

15 above the cross member 16, thereby locking the cover 50 in place, see Fig. 6.

If an attempt is made to open the cover, see Fig. 7, the latch 10 is jammed between the stop 14 and the bridge member 16 as shown in Fig. 5. The lower end of the locking latch block 10 is curved as shown so that it becomes effective as soon as the corner of the block enters above the edge of the cross member 16.

Various modifications may be made in the in-s ven'tion. and thepresent exemplification is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described the invention, 1 claim:

1. An air locking device for a centrifugal extractor comprising a cylindrical casing; .a perforated basket rotatively supported in the casing, the walls of the basket being spaced from the walls of casing; an outer cover for the casing spaced from the top of the basket and having a central opening; a removable central cover normally closing the central opening; a ring-shaped latch depending from the central cover and passing through an opening in the outer cover; brackets depending from the outer cover at the side of the latch; a shaft rotatively supported in the brackets and having portions extending beyond the brackets; vanes secured to said shaft portions, extending into the clearance space between the basket and the casing; and an elongated latch block secured to the shaft between the brackets normally extending vertically downwards parallel to the ring-shaped latch opposite the opening therein, the latch block being adapted to be rotated into the opening in the ring-shaped latch when the shaft is rotated by the vanes under action of the movement of the air when the basket is rotating.

2. An air locking device for a centrifugal extractor comprising a cylindrical casing;.a per-forated basket rotatively supported in the casing, the walls of the basket being spaced from the walls ofthe casing; an outer cover for the casing spaced from the top of the basket and having a central opening; a removable central cover normally closing the central opening; a ring-shaped latch depending from the central cover and passing through an opening in the outer cover; a shaft rotatively supported on the under side of the cover in a substantial radial direction at the side of the latch; vanes secured to the shaft and nor- 

